Grocery Shopping 101: Streamlined & Simplified

Often times, individuals want to know how they can keep their grocery shopping as simple and streamlined as possible. Some of the key factors will be the following:

- have a grocery shopping game plan

- short list of carbohydrates

- short list of proteins

- short list of fats

- shortlist of fruits and vegetables

When we go into the grocery store with a game plan like this, we are going to make the right choices and keep the body properly fueled. Step one will be this; create a list of complex carbohydrates that you enjoy. This list may include foods such as:

- whole-grain bread (sliced bread, pita bread, bagels, wraps, etc.)

- whole-grain pasta

- rice

- potatoes

- quinoa

- couscous

- beans (beans also provide protein)

Next, you want to create a list of protein sources that you enjoy. This list may include foods such as:

You are now armed with Your Master List and you have a great game plan as you enter the grocery store. Instead of leaving things to chance, you are taking control and purchasing the foods that are going to properly fuel your body. When we have lists as mentioned above, every meal and snack is going to be a home run. Because now we can put together the proper balance of carbohydrate-protein-fat at every meal and snack. And, this is where 9Round Nutrition will help take the thinking out of this process for you. Every meal on your 9Round Nutrition meal plan is properly balanced with the right amount of carbohydrate-protein-fat in order to set your body up for great success and keep your body properly fueled. And, it's very easy to make food substitutions if necessary. Let's say, for example, a meal on your 9Round Nutrition meal plan contains 175 cal of rice, which is a complex carbohydrate. And let's say that you want to have another complex carbohydrate in place of rice, no problem. Simply choose 175 cal of another complex carbohydrate from your list, such as potatoes; now, you have made a 1:1 substitution and you will have kept the macronutrient balance intact.

In addition, individuals may ask what foods to avoid at the grocery store and/or what aisles to avoid. While these are very good questions, I never coach from a negative perspective and tell individuals not to do something or to avoid a certain food/beverage. Rather, I just simply provide individuals with facts and then they can decide for themselves what the right choice is for them. Let's set the stage. An individual has set a great body transformation goal and they want to lose 50+ pounds of body fat. And let's say this individual asks about consuming sugary foods, salty foods, high-fat foods, etc. Again, I'm not going to tell this individual not to eat these foods or to avoid them. Rather, I'm going to provide them with the facts. And the facts are this; consuming such foods are not going to help you achieve your body transformation goals. If we do consume such foods, we just have to accept the consequences that come with these choices. And the consequences are that we are going to set ourselves back, slow our progress and not reach the goals we desire. This is where the individual has to make the decision that best fits them. If they choose to consume such foods, then they just have to reduce their goals and accept the fact that consuming such foods is not going to propel them forward.

Let's make our next trip to the grocery store as streamlined and simplified as possible. Let's go in with Your Master List. Not only will you find yourself purchasing high-octane fuel for the body, but you will save time. Shopping at a grocery store is very much like ordering food at a restaurant. We want to ask ourselves three questions in order to make the right choice and keep the body properly fueled. We want to ask ourselves the following: what is my carbohydrate? What is my protein? What is my fat? At a restaurant of course, we are doing this just for one meal. It's even more fun at the grocery store because now we can purchase many different options of each. This will be another amazing and successful step on your health, fitness and nutrition journey. Enjoy the ride!